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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · mug · lash · foot · land · bear · current · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. land — a country
  4. can — to be able to
  5. land — ground
  6. foot — a measure
  7. mug — a cup
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mug — to rob
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. current — electric
  16. mug — a face
  17. current — of water
  18. can — a tin
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. land — to come down
  22. current — happening now
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com